Real Lies, by Lee Si Young
This manhwa collects three moody, literary-indie-style sf/magic realism short stories. The art is very pretty, and the translation has a nice colloquial, casual rhythm.
My favorite was the first, in which a bereaved woman's lover returns from the dead. Is he a ghost? A "return man?" (And what exactly is a "return man?") A Martian set on conquering the Earth? Or was he never really dead in the first place? The emotions feel raw and real, and the characters are realistically quirky and individual. I was surprised to read the author's note, as his interpretation of the story was one that would never have occurred to me. And which I totally disagree with.
In the second story, sexism has almost eliminated women from the world, as female fetuses sensed that they were unwanted and committed suicide. The few women left are worshipped as "goddesses," and many men cross-dress. Strange sexual politics drive a poignant story about loneliness and the desperate search for connection.
I couldn't get into the third story, about a robot, as the character design for the robot freaked me out. I can't explain it, I just couldn't stand looking at him. I'm sure that was a purely personal reaction, though.
My favorite was the first, in which a bereaved woman's lover returns from the dead. Is he a ghost? A "return man?" (And what exactly is a "return man?") A Martian set on conquering the Earth? Or was he never really dead in the first place? The emotions feel raw and real, and the characters are realistically quirky and individual. I was surprised to read the author's note, as his interpretation of the story was one that would never have occurred to me. And which I totally disagree with.
In the second story, sexism has almost eliminated women from the world, as female fetuses sensed that they were unwanted and committed suicide. The few women left are worshipped as "goddesses," and many men cross-dress. Strange sexual politics drive a poignant story about loneliness and the desperate search for connection.
I couldn't get into the third story, about a robot, as the character design for the robot freaked me out. I can't explain it, I just couldn't stand looking at him. I'm sure that was a purely personal reaction, though.